Container, portion package in which fluid is sealed in the container, manufacturing method of the portion package, and opening method of the portion package

ABSTRACT

A container includes a container body having a short pipe shape in which one end is an open end and the other end is provided with a bottom plate which is formed with a pouring hole and a first sealing member which is joined to an end surface of the open end of the container body to seal the open end.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application JP2010-192985, filed Aug. 30, 2010 and Japanese Patent Application JP2011-035225, filed Feb. 21, 2011, the entire contents of which arehereby incorporated by reference, the same as if set forth at length.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a container which contains fluid suchas liquid or a gel-like body, a portion package in which fluid is sealedin the container, a manufacturing method of the portion package, and anopening method of the portion package.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Portion packages are known in which fluid such as liquid or a gel-likebody (contents) is sealed in a container (refer to JP-UM-A-56-141173 andJP-T-2003-512107 (The symbol “JP-T” as used herein means a publishedJapanese translation of a PCT patent application.), for example).

A portion package container disclosed in JP-UM-A-56-141173 is providedwith a pipe-shaped container body which is open at one end and has abottom at the other end. The bottom of the container body is formed witha discharge hole for discharging the fluid contained. The open end ofthe container body is sealed with a sealing member that is fitted in theopen end, and the bottom discharge hole is sealed with a lid member thatcovers the bottom end. Fluid is poured into the container through itsopen end in a state that the discharge hole is sealed with the lidmember, and sealed in the container by fitting the sealing member intothe open end.

A portion package container disclosed in JP-T-2003-512107 is providedwith a pipe-shaped container body which is open at both ends. Each openend of the container body is sealed by welding a film-Like sealingmember to the end surface. Fluid is poured into the container throughone open end in a state that the other open end is sealed with thesealing member, and sealed in the container by welding the sealingmember to the end surface of the one open end.

In each of the portion packages disclosed in JP-UM-A-56-141173 andJP-T-2003-512107, the open end or one of the open ends serves as anopening for fluid pouring. With this structure, it is difficult to pourfluid into the container so as to fill it up.

As for fluid that has been poured into a container, surface tensionmakes a peripheral portion of the surface of the fluid higher than acentral portion. Even if a peripheral portion of the surface of thefluid is in contact with the edge of an open end, a central portion ofthe surface of the fluid is lower than the peripheral portion. As aresult, the amount of poured fluid is insufficient. Where an open end isused as an opening for pouring, the pouring opening is necessarily madelarge and a rise of a peripheral portion of the surface of fluid makesthe amount of pouring of fluid more insufficient as the pouring openingbecomes larger. If fluid is poured further, a peripheral portion of thesurface of the fluid may pass the edge of the open end and expand to wetthe end surface. Having a relatively small area, the end surface iseasily covered with the expanding fluid. In the case of a container inwhich the open end serving as a poring opening is sealed by welding asealing member to the end surface of the open end, the above phenomenonmay obstruct joining of the sealing member to the end surface of theopen end and thereby render the sealing of the open end with the sealingmember incomplete.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made in the above circumstances, and anobject of the present invention is therefore to facilitate charging of aportion package container with fluid and to enable reliable sealing ofits pouring opening (or holes) with a sealing member.

(1) A container comprising a container body having a short pipe shape inwhich one end is open and the other end is provided with a bottom platewhich is formed with a pouring hole in a partial region; and a firstsealing member which is joined to an end surface of an open end of thecontainer body and thereby seals the open end.

(2) A portion package comprising the container of item (1); fluidcontained in the container; and a second sealing member which is joinedto an outside surface of the bottom plate and thereby seals the pouringhole.

(3) A manufacturing method of a portion package, comprising the steps ofpouring fluid through a pouring hole into a short-pipe-shaped containerin which one, open end is sealed with a first sealing member and abottom plate which is provided at the other end is formed with thepouring hole; and sealing the pouring hole by joining a second sealingmember to an outside surface of the bottom plate of the container intowhich the fluid has been poured.

According to the invention, one end of the container body is providedwith the bottom plate which is formed with the pouring hole in a partialregion. Therefore, the surface of fluid that has been poured into thecontainer is flattened by means of the bottom plate. In this manner, thecontainer can be charged with fluid easily.

Since the first sealing member is joined to the end surface of the openend of the container body to seal the open end before pouring of fluid,fluid being poured does not obstruct joining of the first sealing memberto the open end of the container body. The second sealing member isjoined to the outside surface of the bottom plate having the pouringhole to seal the pouring hole after pouring of fluid. And the outsidesurface of the bottom plate is wider than an end surface that would beobtained if the bottom-plate-side end of the container body were an openend. Therefore, even if fluid expands to wet a portion around thepouring hole, a joining region can be obtained on the outside surface ofthe bottom plate outside that portion so as to surround the pouringhole. The pouring hole can thus be sealed reliably with the secondsealing member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an example container according to anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container of FIG. 1 as viewedobliquely from below.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an example portion package according tothe embodiment of the invention in which fluid is sealed in thecontainer of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C and 4D are sectional views illustrating a manufacturingprocess of the portion package of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of part V, enclosed by a chain-linecircle, of FIG. 4D.

FIGS. 6A, 6B and 6C are sectional views illustrating an example openingtool for the portion package of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of an example container sealing machineaccording to the embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing, in detail, a container conveyorand a sealing member feeder of the container sealing machine of FIG. 7.

FIGS. 9A, 9B, 9C and 9D are schematic diagrams illustrating a process ofsealing the container of FIG. 1 using the container sealing machine ofFIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of an example container according to anotherembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of a portion package in which fluid issealed in the container of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged sectional view of part XII, enclosed by abroken-line circle, of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a sectional view of a modification of the container of FIG.10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a container according to an embodiment of the presentinvention.

The container 1 is provided with a container body 2 and a first sealingmember 3.

The container body 2 is shaped like a short pipe, and its one end isopen and the other end is provided with a bottom plate 4. The bottomplate 4 is formed with openings 5. In the illustrated example, thecontainer body 2 is shaped like a short pipe that is generallyrectangular in a plan view and the openings 5 occupy four cornerportions of the bottom plate 4 and are generally circular in a planview. When fluid is poured into the container 1, part of the openings 5may serve as pouring holes with the other openings 5 used as outlets forventing air out of the container 1.

Furthermore, the outside surface 4 a of the bottom plate 4 is formedwith plural annular ribs 6, each of which is formed so as to surroundthe associated opening 5 and to be distant from the edge of theassociated opening 5 and the associated portion of the edge of theoutside surface 4 a of the bottom plate 4. The distance between each rib6 and the associated opening 5 is set so that fluid 12 that overflowsthe container 1 after its capacity is reached is contained inside eachrib 6 taking into consideration a variation of a pouring amount of fluid12 when it is poured into the container 1 using a dispenser or the like.

The first sealing member 3 is joined to an end surface 7 a of an openend 7 of the container body 2, whereby the open end 7 is sealed. Thefirst sealing member 3 is formed by, for example, laminating a metalfoil of aluminum or the like on the surface of a thermoplastic resinfilm, and is typically welded to the end surface 7 a of the open end 7.However, the method for joining the first sealing member 3 to the endsurface 7 a of the open end 7 is not limited to welding. For example,the first sealing member 3 may be joined to the end surface 7 a of theopen end 7 with adhesive that is applied to the end surface 7 a of theopen end 7. Therefore, the first sealing member 3 is not limited toweldable members.

FIG. 3 shows an example portion package in which fluid 12 is sealed inthe container 1.

The portion package 10 is configured in such a manner that a secondsealing member 11 is joined to the outside surface 4 a of the bottomplate 4 of the container 1 which is filled with the fluid 12 and all ofthe openings 5 of the bottom plate 4 are sealed. The fluid 12 has beenpoured into the container 1 until its capacity is reached substantiallyand is sealed in the container 1.

The second sealing member 11 is formed by, for example, laminating ametal foil of aluminum or the like on the surface of a thermoplasticresin film, and is typically welded to the outside surface 4 a of thebottom plate 4 of the container 1. However, the method for joining thesecond sealing member 11 to the outside surface 4 a of the bottom plate4 is not limited to welding. For example, the second sealing member 11may be joined to the outside surface 4 a of the bottom plate 4 withadhesive that is applied to the outside surface 4 a of the bottom plate4. Therefore, the second sealing member 11 is not limited to weldablemembers.

FIGS. 4A-4D illustrate a manufacturing process of the portion package10.

Fluid 12 is poured through the openings 5 of the bottom plate 4 into thecontainer 1 whose open end 7 is sealed with the first sealing member 3.Fluid 12 is poured by approximately a prescribed amount using adispenser, for example. The fluid 12 that has been poured into thecontainer 1 has a concave surface, that is, because of its surfacetension, a peripheral portion 12 a of its surface that is in contactwith the inside surface of the side wall of the container 1 is higherthan a central portion 12 b (see FIG. 4A).

After the peripheral portion 12 a of the fluid 12 has reached the insidesurface 4 b of the bottom plate 4 of the container 1, the peripheralportion 12 a remains there even if further fluid 12 is poured into thecontainer 1. On the other hand, since a space exists between the centralportion 12 b of the surface of the fluid 12 and the inside surface 4 bof the bottom plate 4, the central portion 12 b rises gradually andcomes into contact with the inside surface 4 b of the bottom plate 4 asfurther fluid 12 is poured into the container 1. That is, the surface ofthe fluid 12, which has been concave, is flattened by means of theinside surface 4 b of the bottom plate 4. The container 1 is thus filledwith the fluid 12 (see FIGS. 4B and 4C).

Then, the second sealing member 11 is joined to the outside surface 4 aof the bottom plate 4. All of the openings 5 of the bottom plate 4 aresealed with the second sealing member 11, whereby the fluid 12 is sealedin the container 1 (see FIG. 4D).

FIG. 5 illustrates, in detail, a joining state of the container 1 andthe second sealing member 11 around one opening 5.

Because of a variation of the amount of fluid pouring by a dispenser andother factors, fluid 12 that overflows the container 1 after itscapacity is reached may expand to wet the portion, around each opening5, of the outside surface 4 a of the bottom plate 4. FIG. 5 shows astate that fluid 12 has expanded to wet the portion around the opening5.

The second sealing member 11 is joined to the outside surface 4 a of thebottom plate 4 in a state that fluid 12 has expanded to wet the portionaround each opening 5. Since the outside surface 4 a of the bottom plate4 is wider than an end surface that would be obtained if thebottom-4-side end of the container 1 were an open end, even if fluid 12expands to wet the portion around each opening 5, a joining region canbe formed between the outside surface 4 a of the bottom plate 4 and thesecond sealing member 11 outside that portion so as to surround eachopening 5.

In particular, the outside surface 4 a of the bottom plate 4 is formedwith the plural annular ribs 6 and each rib 6 surrounds the associatedopening 5 so as to be distant from the edge of the associated opening 5.And each rib 6 is distant from the associated portion of the edge of theoutside surface 4 a of the bottom plate 4. Therefore, expanding fluid 12is dammed up by each rib 6 and a joining region can be secured outsideeach rib 6 so as to surround the associated opening 5.

As described above, when the second sealing member 11 is joined to theoutside surface 4 a of the bottom plate 4, each opening 5 is surroundedby a joining region of the second sealing member 11 and the outsidesurface 4 a of the bottom plate 4, whereby the openings 5 can be sealedreliably with the second sealing member 11.

FIGS. 6A-6C illustrate an example opening tool for the portion package10 and an example process of opening the portion package 10 using theopening tool.

The opening tool 20 is equipped with a projection 22 which is providedon the top surface of a substrate 21 at the center and a sharp nail 23which projects from a portion of the edge of the top surface of theprojection 22. The projection 22 can be inserted into the container 1from the open end 7 side of the container 1 of the portion package 10and, when inserted, fitted in the container 1 loosely.

The first sealing member 3 with which the open end 7 of the container 1of the portion package 10 is sealed is pressed against the projection 22and perforated by the nail 23 of the top surface of the projection 22(see FIG. 6A).

The first sealing member 3 continues to be pressed against theprojection 22, whereby the first sealing member 3 is broken startingfrom the hole formed by the nail 23 and the portion package 10 isopened. The projection 22 is inserted into the container 1. The fluid 12that has been sealed in the portion package 10 pressed out by theprojection 22. The pressed-out fluid 12 is received by the substrate 21and collected (see FIG. 6B).

When the projection 22 is inserted fully into the container 1, theinside space of the container 1 is occupied by the projection 22,whereby the fluid 12 that was sealed in the portion package 10 can becollected substantially in its entirety (see FIG. 6C).

FIGS. 7 and 8 show an example container sealing machine for sealing theopenings 5 of the container 1.

The sealing machine 100 seals the openings 5 of the container 1 byjoining the second sealing member 11 to the outside surface 4 a of thebottom plate 4 of the container 1. Plural containers 1 are arranged oneach pallet 108 and containers 1 are supplied to the sealing machine 100on a pallet-by-pallet basis. FIG. 7 is simplified in that only onecontainer 1 is shown for each pallet 108.

The sealing machine 100 is equipped with a conveyor 101 for conveyingpallets 108 on which containers 1 are arranged, a supplying unit 102 forsupplying a sealing material 120 which is a material of second sealingmembers 11, a feeding unit 103 for feeding the sealing material 120supplied from the supplying unit 102, a pouring unit 104 for pouringfluid into containers 1, a joining unit 105 for joining part of thesealing material 120 to each container 1 mounted on each pallet 108, acut-out unit 106 for cutting a joined portion (second sealing member 11)that has been joined to each container 1 on each pallet 108 out of thesealing material 120, and a separating unit 107 for separating thecut-out joined portion (second sealing member 11) from the other part ofthe sealing material 120.

The conveyor 101 includes a guide rail 110 which extends along a palletconveying path, an engaging member 111 for engaging with plural pallets108 which are to engage with pallets 108 mounted on the guide rail 110in a disengageable manner, and a drive mechanism 112 for driving theengaging member 111.

The engaging member 111 has a base 113 which is disposed under andextends parallel with the guide rail 110 and plural pins 114 which areerected from the base 113 with a prescribed pitch.

The drive mechanism 112 has elevation drive mechanisms 115 such ascylinder-piston units which support and drive (i.e., elevate and lower)the engaging member 111 and a translation drive mechanism 116 such as alinear motor which reciprocation-drives the elevation drive mechanisms115 in the pallet conveying path.

When elevated being driven the elevation drive mechanisms 115, theengaging member 111 causes the pins 114 to engage with plural pallets108 mounted on the guide rail 110. Then, driven by the translation drivemechanism 116, the elevation drive mechanisms 115 and the engagingmember 111 supported by them go forward along the conveying path and theplural pallets 108 which are engaged with the pins 114 go forward on theguide rails 110 together with the engaging member 111. Then, loweredbeing driven the elevation drive mechanisms 115, the engaging member 111is causes the pins 114 to disengage from the plural pallets 108.Subsequently, driven by the translation drive mechanism 116, theelevation drive mechanisms 115 and the engaging member 111 supported bythem go back along the conveying path and the engaging member 111 andreturn to the initial positions. As the above cycle is performedrepeatedly, pallets 108 are conveyed intermittently along the conveyingpath.

The sealing material 120 is a long film made of a thermoplastic resin,and the supplying unit 102 includes a row material roll 121 which iswound with the sealing material 120, a take-up roll 122 for taking upthe sealing material 120 from the row material roll 121, and pluralauxiliary rolls 123.

The row material roll 121 and the take-up roll 122 are driven byrespective motors (not shown). This is not to control feeding of thesealing material 120 but to prevent loosening of the sealing material120 by applying prescribed tension to it.

Disposed between the row material roll 121 and the take-up roll 122 asappropriate, the plural auxiliary rolls 123 define a sealing materialfeeding path. An interval of the sealing material feeding path isparallel with the pallet conveying path, and in that interval thesealing material 120 is placed on the outside surfaces 4 a of the bottomplates 4 of the containers 1 mounted on pallets 108.

In the pallet conveying path, the pouring unit 104 is disposed upstreamof the interval, parallel with the pallet conveying path, of the sealingmaterial feeding path. The pouring unit 104 includes dispensers 140 anda sensor (not shown). When a pallet 108 being conveyed is located underthe pouring unit 104, the pouring unit 104 detects the pallet 108 withthe sensor and pours fluid 12 into the containers 1 mounted on thepallet 108 by causing the dispensers 140 to operate on the basis of adetection signal of the sensor.

In the pallet conveying path, the joining unit 105 is disposed in theinterval, parallel with the pallet conveying path, of the sealingmaterial feeding path. The joining unit 105 includes a heat welding head150 which is elevated and lowered and a sensor (not shown).

When a pallet 108 being conveyed is located under the joining unit 105,the joining unit 105 detects the pallet 108 with the sensor and lowersthe heat welding head 150 on the basis of a detection signal of thesensor. The sealing material 120 is pressed against the containers 1mounted on the pallet 108 by means of the heat welding head 150 beinglowered and is thereby welded to the outside surfaces 4 a of the bottomplates 4 of the containers 1. The openings 5 of each container 1 arethus sealed. The method for joining the sealing material 120 to theoutside surface 4 a of the bottom plate 4 of each container 1 is notlimited to welding. For example, the sealing material 12Q may be joinedto the outside surface 4 a of the bottom plate 4 of each container 1with adhesive that is applied to the outside surface 4 a of the bottomplate 4. In this case, for example, in the pallet conveying path,adhesive is applied to the outside surfaces 4 a of the bottom plates 4of the containers 1 upstream of the interval, parallel with the palletconveying path, of the sealing material feeding path.

The cut-out unit 106 is disposed downstream of the joining unit 105 inthe interval, parallel with the pallet conveying path, of the sealingmaterial feeding path. The cut-out unit 106 includes a laser marker 160and a sensor (not shown).

When a pallet 108 being conveyed is located under the cut-out unit 106,the cut-out unit 106 detects the pallet 108 with the sensor and causesthe laser marker 160 to operate on the basis of a detection signal ofthe sensor. The laser marker 160 applies laser light to the sealingmaterial 120 which is welded to the containers 1 mounted on the pallet108. The laser light is applied along the edge of the outside surface 4a of the bottom plate 4 of each container 1. As a result, second sealingmembers 11 are cut out of the sealing material 120 in a state that theyare welded to the outside surfaces 4 a of the bottom plates 4 of thecontainers 1. Alternatively, second sealing members 11 may be punchedout of the sealing material 120 by pressing a punch against the pallet108 which serves as a die.

The separating unit 107 is disposed downstream of the cut-out unit 106and defines the downstream end of the interval, parallel with the palletconveying path, of the sealing material feeding path. The separatingunit 107 includes a slide contact member 170 which is in slide contactwith the sealing material 120 and a roll 171 which is disposeddownstream of the slide contact member 170 and guides the sealingmaterial 120 upward.

Whereas the sealing material 120 is bent upward immediately downstreamof the slide contact member 170 and goes away from the conveying path,the second sealing members 11 that have been punched out of the sealingmaterial 120 move along the pallet conveying path because they arejoined to the containers 1. As a result, relative movements occurbetween the second sealing members 11 and the other part of the sealingmaterial 120 and the second sealing members 11 are separated from theother part of the sealing material 120.

The feeding unit 103 is disposed between the joining unit 105 and thecut-out unit 106 in the pallet conveying path. The feeding unit 103includes a pair of gripping mechanisms 130 which are disposed on bothsides of the sealing material 120 and grip or release edge portions ofthe sealing material 120. The gripping mechanisms 130 are fixed to oneof the elevation drive mechanisms 115 which are reciprocation-drivenalong the conveying path by the translation drive mechanism 116 in theconveying unit 101, and are moved together with the one elevation drivemechanism 115.

The gripping mechanisms 130 grip the sealing material 120 when theengaging member 111 which is engaged with pallets 108 and the elevationdrive mechanisms 115 which support the engaging member 111 go forward toconvey the pallets 108 in each pallet conveying cycle of the conveyingunit 101. As the gripping mechanisms 130 go forward together with theone elevation drive mechanism 115, the sealing material 120 which isgripped by the gripping mechanisms 130 is fed in the sealing materialfeeding path. When the engaging member 111 which has been disengagedfrom the pallets 108 and the elevation drive mechanisms 115 whichsupport the engaging member 111 go back and return to the initialpositions, the feeding unit 103 causes the gripping mechanisms 130 torelease the sealing material 120. The gripping mechanisms 130 go backtogether with the one elevation drive mechanism 115 and returns to theinitial position. As the above-described cycle is performed repeatedly,the sealing material 120 is fed intermittently along the sealingmaterial feeding path. As described above, in feeding the sealingmaterial 120, the feeding unit 103 is moved together with the conveyingunit 101 while holding the sealing material 120. As a result, thefeeding of the sealing material 120 and the conveyance of pallets 108can easily be synchronized with each other from joining of the sealingmaterial 120 to the containers 1 mounted on the pallets 108 toseparation of joined portions (second sealing members 11).

The feeding unit 103 holds the sealing material 120 in the interval,between the joining unit 105 and the cut-out unit 106, of the palletconveying path, and can thereby prevent a phenomenon that the feeding ofthe sealing material 120 and the conveyance of pallets 108 fall out ofsynchronism with each other in the interval between the joining unit 105and the cut-out unit 106 due to expansion of the sealing material 120.

It is possible to convey pallets 108 using a belt conveyor. However,since each portion of a belt returns to the initial position after acirculation, to convey pallets 108 continuously and feed the sealingmaterial 120 in synchronism with the conveyance of the pallets 108, thefeeding unit 103 needs to have plural pairs of gripping mechanisms 130.In contrast, in the configuration in which the conveying unit 101conveys pallets 108 by reciprocation-driving, along the pallet conveyingpath, the engaging member 111 which is engaged with pallets 108 in adisengageable manner and the elevation drive mechanisms 115 whichsupport the engaging member 111, as described above it suffices todispose the pair of gripping mechanisms 130. The machine configurationcan thus be simplified.

In the feeding unit 103, the gripping mechanisms 130 grip the sealingmaterial 120 only while pallets 108 exist in the interval, between thejoining unit 105 and the cut-out unit 106, of the pallet conveying path.Whether or not pallets 108 exist in the interval between the joiningunit 105 and the cut-out unit 106 is judged by, for example, countingthe number of pallets 108 that have passed the joining unit 105 and thenumber of pallets 108 that have passed the cut-out unit 106 usingsensors provided in the joining unit 105 and the cut-out unit 106,respectively, and comparing the two numbers.

FIGS. 9A-9D illustrate a process of sealing plural containers 1sequentially using the container sealing machine 100 having the aboveconfiguration.

FIGS. 9A-9D show a state that two pallets 108 a and 108 b of pluralpallets 108 being conveyed have a long interval P which is longer thanthe distance L between the joining unit 105 and the cut-out unit 106 asmeasured along the pallet conveying path. Such a state may occur in, forexample, a case that pallets 108 are supplied to the container sealingmachine 100 manually. FIGS. 9A-9D are simplified in that only the twopallets 108 a and 108 b having the long interval P are shown.

When the leading pallet 108 a is located under the joining unit 105, asealing material 120 is welded to the containers 1 mounted on the pallet108 a. As a result, the openings 5 of the containers 1 are sealed (seeFIG. 9A).

Then, the pallets 108 a and 108 b are conveyed by the conveying unit 101which operates cyclically in the above-described manner. The pallet 108a is located in the interval, between the joining unit 105 and thecut-out unit 106, of the pallet conveying path. Therefore, the grippingmechanisms 130 of the feeding unit 103 grip the sealing material 120 asthe engaging member 111 and the elevation drive mechanisms 115 whichsupport the engaging member 111 go forward to convey the pallet 108 a inone pallet conveying cycle of the conveying unit 101. As the grippingmechanisms 130 go forward together with the one elevation drivemechanism 115, the sealing material 120 gripped by the grippingmechanisms 130 is fed along the sealing material feeding path. Since thegripping mechanisms 130 which are holding the sealing material 120 movetogether with the one of the elevation drive mechanisms 115 which areconveying the pallet 108 a, the feeding of the sealing material 120 issynchronized with the conveyance of the pallet 108 a reliably. As aresult, the sealing material 120 can be prevented from being peeled offa container 1 mounted on the pallet 108 a (see FIG. 9B).

The above-described cycle is performed repeatedly by the conveying unit101, whereby the leading pallet 108 a comes to be located under thecut-out unit 106. Second sealing members 11 are cut out of the sealingmaterial 120 in a state that they are welded to the containers 1. Thesealing of the containers 1 mounted on the pallet 108 is thus completed.The interval P between the pallets 108 a and 108 b is longer than thedistance L between the joining unit 105 and the cut-out unit 106 asmeasured along the pallet conveying path. Therefore, at a time pointwhen the leading pallet 108 a is located under the cut-out unit 106, thefollowing pallet 108 h is located upstream of the joining unit 105 alongthe pallet conveying path (see FIG. 9C).

The pallet 108 b is conveyed to under the joining unit 105 as theconveying unit 101 repeats the above-described cycle further. No pallet108 exists in the interval, between the joining unit 105 and the cut-outunit 106, of the pallet conveying path until the pallet 108 b reachesthe position of the joining unit 105. Therefore, until the pallet 108 breaches the position of the joining unit 105, the gripping mechanisms130 do not grip the sealing material 120 (i.e., the sealing material 120is kept released) while the engaging member 111 which is engaged withthe pallets 108 and the elevation drive mechanisms 115 which support theengaging member 111 go forward in the pallet conveying cycles of theconveying unit 101 to convey the pallets 108. Although the grippingmechanisms 130 go forward together with the one elevation drivemechanism 115, the sealing material 120 is not fed along the sealingmaterial feeding path. That is, only the pallets 108 a and 108 b aremoved. The sealing material 120 is thus saved (see FIG. 90).

FIG. 10 shows a container according to another embodiment. Members etc.having the same ones in the above-described container 1 will be giventhe same reference symbols as the latter and will be described in asimplified manner or will not be described at all.

The container 31 is provided with a container body 32 and a firstsealing member 3.

The container body 32 is shaped like a short pipe, and its one end isopen and the other end is provided with a bottom plate 34. The bottomplate 34 is formed with openings 35. In the illustrated example, thecontainer body 32 is shaped like a short pipe that is generallyrectangular in a plan view and the openings 35 occupy two diagonalcorner portions of the bottom plate 34 and are generally circular in aplan view. When fluid is poured into the container 31, one of the twoopenings 35 serves as a pouring hole and the other opening 35 serves asan outlet for venting air out of the container 31.

Each opening 35 has a step-like shape in which the opening diameter φ2of a second end portion 35 b that is connected to the outside surface 34a of the bottom plate 34 is larger than the opening diameter φ1 of afirst end portion 35 a that is connected to the inside surface 34 b ofthe bottom plate 34. The first end portion 35 a and the second endportion 35 b are connected by a horizontal surface 38. The openingdiameter φ2 of the second end portion 35 b is set so that fluid 12 thatoverflows the container 31 after its capacity is reached is containedinside each second end portion 35 b taking into consideration avariation of a pouring amount of fluid 12 when it is poured into thecontainer 31 using a dispenser or the like.

The first sealing member 3 is joined to an end surface 37 a of an openend 37 of the container body 32, whereby the open end 37 is sealed.

FIG. 11 shows an example portion package in which fluid 12 is sealed inthe container 31.

The portion package 40 is configured in such a manner that a secondsealing member 11 is joined to the outside surface 34 a of the bottomplate 34 of the container 31 which is filled with the fluid 12 and bothopenings 35 of the bottom plate 34 are sealed. The fluid 12 has beenpoured into the container 31 until its capacity is reached substantiallyand is sealed in the container 31. The second sealing member 11 isjoined to the outside surface 34 a of the bottom plate 39 of thecontainer 31 by welding.

FIG. 12 illustrates, in detail, a joining state of the container 31 andthe second sealing member 11 around one opening 35.

Because of a variation of the amount of fluid pouring by a dispenser andother factors, fluid 12 that overflows the container 31 after itscapacity is reached may enter the openings 35. FIG. 12 shows a statethat fluid 12 has entered the openings 35.

As described above, each opening 35 has the step-like shape in which theopening diameter φ2 of the second end portion 35 b that is connected tothe outside surface 34 a of the bottom plate 34 is larger than theopening diameter φ1 of the first end portion 35 a that is connected tothe inside surface 34 b of the bottom plate 34. The first end portion 35a and the second end portion 35 b are connected by the horizontalsurface 38. Fluid 12 that has entered each opening 35 merely expands towet the horizontal surface 38 and does not expand so as to wet theoutside surface 34 a of the bottom plate 34 of the container 31. Ajoining region that surrounds each opening 35 is thus secured in theoutside surface 34 a.

In the above-described container 1, the regions where overflow fluid 12expands to wet their surfaces are provided on the outside surface 4 aand those regions are flush with the joining region of the secondsealing member 11 and the outside surface 4 a of the bottom plate 4. Incontrast, in the container 31 according to this embodiment, the regionswhere overflow fluid 12 expands to wet their surfaces correspond to thehorizontal surfaces 38 that are located inside the openings 35 and henceare not flush with the outside surface 34 a of the bottom plate 34 wherethe joining region of the second sealing member 11 and the outsidesurface 34 a of the bottom plate 34 is provided. As a result, the secondsealing member 11 can be joined to the outside surface 34 a of thebottom plate 34 more reliably.

FIG. 13 shows a modification of the container 31.

In the container 31 a shown in FIG. 13, the outside surface 34 a of thebottom plate 34 is formed with plural annular ribs 36. Each rib 36 isformed around the edge of the associated opening 35 so as to surroundthe associated opening 35. Like the ribs 6 of the container 1, the ribs36 have the function of damming up expanding fluid 12. Furthermore, theribs 36 are used as thinning margins when the second sealing member 11is welded to seal the container 31 a. The second sealing member 11 iswelded to the tip portions of the respective ribs 36.

By virtue of the ribs 36 serving as thinning margins, formation errorsof the individual members of the container 31 a in which the bottomplate 34 is formed with the plural openings 35 and the openings 35 canbe sealed reliably. Furthermore, when plural containers 31 a are sealedat one time by the above-described sealing machine 100, formation errorsamong the containers 31 a can be absorbed and the containers 31 a can besealed reliably.

It is preferable that the tip portion of each of the ribs 36 to whichthe second sealing member 11 is welded have a flat surface. This makesit possible to secure sufficient joining areas for welding and tothereby improve the sealing performance. Where the second sealing member11 is formed by laminating a metal foil of aluminum or the like on thesurface of a thermoplastic resin film, an event that the film is piercedand the laminated metal foil is corroded being exposed to the fluid 12can be prevented.

As described above, this specification discloses containers of thefollowing items (1)-(6).

(1) A container comprising a container body having a short pipe shape inwhich one end is open and the other end is provided with a bottom platewhich is formed with a pouring hole; and a first sealing member which isjoined to an end surface of an open end of the container body andthereby seals the open end.

(2) The container of item (1), wherein the pouring hole has a step shapein which a second end portion that is connected to an outside surface ofthe bottom plate is larger in opening area than a first end portion thatis connected to an inside surface of the bottom plate.

(3) The container of item (2), wherein the outside surface of the bottomplate is formed with a rib around an edge of the pouring hole in such amanner that the rib surrounds the pouring hole.

(4) The container of item (3), wherein a tip portion of the rib has aflat surface.

(5) The container of item (1), wherein an outside surface of the bottomplate is formed with a rib which is distant from an edge of the pouringhole and surrounds the pouring hole.

(6) The container of any one of items (1)-(5), wherein the first sealingmember can be broken by pressing it.

The specification discloses portion packages of the following items (7)and (8).

(7) A portion package comprising the container of any one of items(1)-(6); fluid contained in the container; and a second sealing memberwhich is joined to an outside surface of the bottom plate and therebyseals the pouring hole.

(8) A portion package comprising the container of item (3) or (4); fluidcontained in the container; and a second sealing member which is joinedto the outside surface of the bottom plate so as to be welded to a tipportion of the rib, and thereby seals the pouring hole.

Furthermore, the specification discloses a manufacturing method of aportion package, comprising the steps of pouring fluid through a pouringhole into a short-pipe-shaped container in which one open end is sealedwith a first sealing member and a bottom plate which is provided at theother end is formed with the pouring hole; and sealing the pouring holeby joining a second sealing member to an outside surface of the bottomplate of the container into which the fluid has been poured.

Still further, the specification discloses an opening method of theportion package of item (7), comprising the steps of breaking the firstsealing member; and pushing out the fluid contained in the container byinserting a thing that fits in the container into the container throughthe open end.

The specification discloses another opening method of the portionpackage of item (7), comprising the step of breaking the first sealingmember by pressing the first sealing member against a front surface of athing that fits in the container and is oriented so as to be suitablefor insertion into the container.

Although the invention has been described above in relation to preferredembodiments and modifications thereof, it will be understood by thoseskilled in the art that other variations and modifications can beeffected in these preferred embodiments without departing from the scopeand spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A container comprising: a container body having ashort pipe shape in which one end is an open end and the other end isprovided with a bottom plate which is formed with a pouring hole; and afirst sealing member which is joined to an end surface of the open endof the container body to seal the open end.
 2. The container accordingto claim 1, wherein the pouring hole has a step shape in which a secondend portion that is connected to an outside surface of the bottom plateis larger in opening area than a first end portion that is connected toan inside surface of the bottom plate.
 3. The container according toclaim 2, wherein the outside surface of the bottom plate is formed witha rib around an edge of the pouring hole in such a manner that the ribsurrounds the pouring hole.
 4. The container according to claim 3,wherein a tip portion of the rib has a flat surface.
 5. The containeraccording to claim 1, wherein an outside surface of the bottom plate isformed with a rib which is distant from an edge of the pouring hole andsurrounds the pouring hole.
 6. The container according to claim 1,wherein the first sealing member is capable of being broken by pressingthe first sealing member.
 7. A portion package comprising: the containeraccording to claim 1; fluid contained in the container; and a secondsealing member which is joined to an outside surface of the bottom plateto seal the pouring hole.
 8. A portion package comprising: the containeraccording to claim 3; fluid contained in the container; and a secondsealing member which is joined to the outside surface of the bottomplate so as to be welded to a tip portion of the rib, and thereby sealsthe pouring hole.
 9. A manufacturing method of a portion package,comprising: pouring fluid through a pouring hole into ashort-pipe-shaped container in which one, open end is sealed with afirst sealing member and a bottom plate which is provided at the otherend is formed with the pouring hole; and sealing the pouring hole byjoining a second sealing member to an outside surface of the bottomplate of the container into which the fluid has been poured.
 10. Anopening method of the portion package according to claim 7, comprising:breaking the first sealing member; and pushing out the fluid containedin the container by inserting a thing that fits in the container intothe container through the open end.
 11. An opening method of the portionpackage according to claim 7, comprising: breaking the first sealingmember by pressing the first sealing member against a front surface of athing that fits in the container and is oriented so as to be suitablefor insertion into the container.